


Negotiations and Love Songs

by Siberianskys



Series: The Accidental Counselor [3]
Category: The Avengers (2012), The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Demisexuality, Developing Relationship, F/M, Implied Relationships, Language, M/M, Multi, Polyamory, Polyamory Negotiations, Romantic Friendship, not AoS compliant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-23
Updated: 2013-11-23
Packaged: 2018-01-02 11:11:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1056081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Siberianskys/pseuds/Siberianskys
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Clint comes out as demi to Tony.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Negotiations and Love Songs

“Sir, Agent Barton has been loitering outside the lab for 8 minutes and 12 seconds,” Jarvis said after turning down the volume on “Back in Black” to a level that he could be heard over. 

“Well, let him in,” Tony said. “I don’t remember telling you we were in lock down.”

“He has yet to request entry, sir.” 

“Barton is a sharp guy. If you open the door I’m sure he’ll figure out what to do next,” Tony said.

“Yes, sir,” Jarvis said. 

“If you’re busy I can come back,” Barton said from just outside the lab’s entryway.

“Get in here,” Tony said, wondering to himself why Barton was looking at him like he was about to get bitten and not in a good way.

“You sure you aren’t too busy?” Barton asked, looking at his toes.

“What’s on your mind, Legolas?” Tony asked as he stripped off his work gloves and tossed them onto his work table. 

“I talked to Nat and Phil about you. And Bruce and Pepper, too,” Clint said, still avoiding Tony’s eyes. 

“That’s been weeks ago; Pepper told me. I was beginning to think you’d changed your mind,” Tony said. “My past isn’t exactly a great selling point when it comes to relationships.” 

“Is that what you think? I’ve been worrying that once you knew you wouldn’t want me,” Clint said. 

“Once I knew what?” 

“Phil or Nat didn’t tell you?” Clint asked.

“They both gave me a very descriptive shovel talk, but with my history, that was only to be expected. If that didn’t send me running, I’m pretty sure there isn’t anything else that could scare me off.” 

“Fuck,” Clint muttered. 

“That’s the general idea,” Tony said, grinning. 

“What if-- What if I can’t? Would that be a deal breaker? I mean, you wouldn’t want to still see me, right?” Clint asked, swallowing hard enough for Tony to see his throat move. 

“Clint,” Tony said, putting his hands on Barton’s shoulders, “tell me Loki didn’t--.

“What? No. Nothing like that. I don’t know how to do this. I haven’t had to do this since things with Phil started getting serious. I thought one of them would tell you,” Clint said, pulling away. 

“Tell me what?” Tony asked, worried by the defeated look on Clint’s face. Tugging on Clint’s hand, he led him toward the couch. Dropping onto the old, comfortable cushions, he refused to let go until Clint joined him. Once Clint sat, he let the nervous archer take his hand back, but scooted closer so their sides were pressed together. He draped his arm around Clint’s neck and pulled his head over so he could kiss him on the temple. “There isn’t anything you can’t tell me. My shit has been all over the _New York Post_ since I was old enough to have shit.”

“I’m demisexual,” Clint mumbled.

“You’re what?” Tony asked.

“It means--“

“I know what it means. I’m just--didn’t we start dancing around each other kind of quick if that was the case?” Tony asked.

“That why I’m so confused,” Clint said. “When everyone was chasing girls or boys or both, I couldn’t understand why everyone was all hormones and shit. I used to think I was just fucked-up. It was years later that I read something about asexuality and thought I finally knew why I was different. And then Phil became my handler. I guess I just never got close enough to someone before--“

“to have the hots for them,” Tony said, finishing Clint’s sentence.

“Something like that,” Clint said. 

“So how do you explain this?” Tony asked, gesturing between himself and Clint.

“I have no idea. Maybe it’s because I felt like I knew you before we even met. Phil used to come home and tell me Tony Stark stories.”

“If Agent didn’t scare you off, I’d think Romanoff would have had a few choice things to say,” Tony said.

“I don’t know why you think Phil doesn’t like you. If he didn’t approve, I wouldn’t be here. And as far as Nat goes, I think she still feels bad that she completely misread you. It’s not like her to make a mistake like that. She’s made a career out of correctly sizing people up.” 

“Everybody makes mistakes,” Tony said. 

“Whatever you do, don’t tell her that,” Clint said. 

Tony grimaced. “I think maybe you should make me a list or write me a guide book or something.”

‘For what?” Clint asked. 

“How not to get my ass handed to me by Agent Romanoff,” Tony said. 

“That’s not as hard as you’d think. Just don’t fuck with her family and don’t make yourself a target of S.H.I.E.L.D. Other than that, it’s pretty much common sense,” Clint said.

“Hello, I’m Tony Stark, have me met?” Tony asked, arching his eyebrow at Clint.

“Okay, when in doubt ask Pepper,” Clint said.

Tony laughed. 

“If it makes you feel any better, in my house it’s when in doubt ask Phil,” Clint said.

“That kind of explains the whole Phil dating Pepper thing,” Tony said. 

Clint smirked and nodded.

“So where does that leave us?” Tony asked.

Clint took a deep breath and blew it out. 

“What’s got your knickers in such a twist?” Tony asked. 

“I don’t have enough friends to risk losing one,” Clint said. 

“Why would you think there was a risk of that?” Tony asked.

“What if the dating thing doesn’t work out?” Clint asked.

“You mean what if the sex thing doesn’t work out,” Tony said.

“Yeah,” Clint said.

“If these last several months with Bruce have taught me anything, it’s patience,” Tony said. “Yes, you’re hot and yes, I’d like to sleep with you in the non-platonic sense, but that isn’t worth losing your friendship over. Okay?”

“Okay,” Clint said.

“So, how about we go upstairs, order pizza or whatever and pile into my bed? We can have a pajama party and a movie marathon or something. We can invite Bruce.” 

“Will Bruce and Pepper be okay with that?” Clint asked. 

“Pepper is still in L.A. on S.I. business and it was Bruce’s idea to begin with.”

“You think he suspects I’m demi?” Clint asked. 

“Probably. There’s not much that gets by that giant brain of his.” 

“I am so out of my league,” Clint said.

“You’re as bad as Bruce. I’m going to have to have words with Agent. He’s neglecting your self-esteem,” Tony said. 

“You’re neglecting my stomach,” Clint said.

“We can’t have you wasting away. It would be criminal for you to lose that muscle tone,” Tony said. 

“Tony,” Clint said.

“It’s not my fault you look like that,” Tony said, pulling Clint up off the couch and prodding him toward the lab’s exit. “I don’t remember you saying that I wasn’t allowed to look.”

“Knock yourself out,” Clint said. 

“I think that should be one of our rules,” 

“Should I even ask?” Clint asked.

“You should be required to always walk far enough in front of me that I can enjoy the view,” Tony said. 

“Why doesn’t that piss me off?” Clint asked.

“Why should it? It was a complement. Your ass is a work of art. I should commission Steve to do a sculpture,” Tony said. 

“I shouldn’t be pissed-off that you’re objectifying me?” Clint asked.

“That’s a pretty big word for the dumb-ass carnie you like to present to the world,” Tony said. 

“One of Phil’s nieces gave him a Word-Of-The-Day Calendar for Christmas one year. I used to read it while he worked on his reports,” Clint said.

“Don’t you mean worked on your reports?” Tony asked. 

“I can write a report,” Clint said, stepping into the elevator in front of Tony.

“Never said you couldn’t, but I have the feeling writing one for Agent isn’t something I’d ever want to do,” Tony said. 

“You wouldn’t be wrong,” Clint said as the elevator door slid shut.”

**Author's Note:**

> The title is from a line in a Paul Simon song.


End file.
